Zego: Platform offers convenience, new revenue streams

What they do // Zego is a “hub for smarter apartment living,” Blake said. Built by real estate experts and backed by artificial intelligence, Zego integrates smart-home devices with an app that connects residents with management, maintenance and a marketplace for local services.

“Zego improves operational efficiencies and generates additional revenue for owners and managers, while improving apartment living for residents,” he said.

Inspiration // The company originally launched as CasaiQ, a smart-home solution for apartments. Blake, formerly CEO of Kansas City-based Brightergy, said the company was founded because some of the largest private apartment owners in the country saw a need based on their experiences owning and managing apartments.

The company, which was renamed late last year after a $1.5 million round, has expanded to provide a technology platform that allows property owners and managers to engage with residents and offer additional services.

What’s next // Zego’s mobile app offers residents the ability to purchase services from companies such as Rover (dog walking/sitting), Wayfair (apartment furniture) and Bellhops (moving). Blake said each time a service is utilized, the resident receives a discount, and the apartment owner receives a share of the revenue.

“As the scale of Zego’s customer base increases, Zego plans to really build out the quality of its marketplace so it can provide residents great discounts on relevant services, while also making the apartment owner more money,” Blake said.